The bracketed words in italics are some silly comments of mine. Never mind me. Enjoy the poetry!I'm paying close attention to one of the poems in Gilkes's collection for a third (and final) post on his work, but
before I lay into him while I work on that I thought I'd give you a sampling of the best of his work in the collection.
From the "Prologue"
Noon on the barbeque of this beach. Sun striking
the dimpled gong of the sea. My daughter, diving.
Adjusting the aperture of my fish-eye lens I watch her
surfacing, dolphin-head pouring with hair, wearing
a clownish dolphin-smile, fins propelling her in
a dolphin-swim, backwards, yelling "Watch me, Dad!
I'll do a back-flip."
[flashback: Dolphin Government School. Zoom to close-up
The school bell. Focus on one small boy
reading. Background of boys, bookbags, bicycles.
Narrator: "Books were rivers he could slip into
and breathe...
[Sweet, despite the heavy, contrived feel of the Dolphin imagery]
From "Rainforest Guide"
Walk softly.
Keep your voice down.
Listen to the forest's voice.
Try not to think of ways
you could develop this place.
From "Son of Guyana" (for Henry Muttoo)
Doan' tell me 'bout Guyana.
I barn deh in t'irty-t'ree.
Meh great-granfadduh was a black man,
granmuddah was a Puttagee.
One a meh granfadduh was a coolie-man,
ah draw Buck, white an' Chinee.
Dey call it 'the land of six peoples'
but is seven, unless you doan count me.
[Let's see now, black, puttagee, coolie, buck, white, chinee...now mix them all together and what you get? A Brazilian, of course!]
From "Carpe Diem"
When I was young (as old men say) and bold,
I laughed aloud when older heads cried "carpe
diem: seize the day!" The days were mine to hold.
Now, scarred by the beak of Time, that harpy,
I find each day's a load that I must bear
alone...
From "Love's Reign"
....
You see that old couple in the kitchen?
They're still in love, watching the kettle boil
together, their passion steady as that hissing
steam...
[So it might seem, but what if one of them was planning a cold-blooded attack on the other with the steaming hot water????]
